The Spirit of Philanthropy Award recipients are selected each year by the Office of Development and presented with the award at the Spirit of Philanthropy & Homecoming Banquet.
Norman and Dorothy Moll
Life has been a search for beauty and order for Norman and Dorothy Moll. Norman began his journey with Andrews University as a student of mathematics and chemistry. The marvels of the law-abiding, physical universe motivated unending exploration for him. Inspired, he co-founded Ad Astora, an informal student discussion group that invited Andrews faculty members to speak and share ideas outside of the classroom, nurturing an exploration of the vast universe of knowledge. While Norman investigated the sciences, Dorothy, then Cowdrick, studied music at Syracuse University and Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University).
Norman graduated from Andrews with a Bachelor of Arts in 1963 and went on to attend Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University), pursuing a PhD in physical chemistry. In the laboratory, he studied the unstable molecules that can be formed by UV light-induced reactions at near absolute zero. During this time, he struck up a friendship with Dorothy, who was teaching music at Maplewood Academy in Hutchinson, Minnesota.
Soon after Norman completed his graduate studies, he and Dorothy sealed their friendship in marriage. Making music together had already become part of their mutual search for beauty, and J.S. Bach’s “If Thou Be Near”—played on cornet and organ—became their signature tune.
Dorothy, an active and accomplished organist, served at the Midland Seventh-day Adventist Church. She also played for other churches of different denominations and performed in numerous recitals, concerts and musical series for her community. Norman’s career as a research scientist at The Dow Chemical Company spanned 30 years. He played key roles in process and new product development, resulting in 13 U.S. Patents. Over the past 10 years, he has also been a performing member of the Mid Michigan Brass Band.
Carrying on their musical legacy, Norman and Dorothy’s daughter, Susan Mercy, is an accomplished violinist, string teacher and orchestral musician. She currently serves as concert master of the Midland Community Orchestra in Michigan. “Sharing the beauty of music, performed together, is still a source of joy for our family and those who listen,” Norman says.
Looking back on their lives, Norman and Dorothy note the incredible growth of knowledge that has transpired over the years. As appreciators of the sciences and the arts, they have been particularly inspired by the breakthroughs surrounding DNA and the genetic codes of living beings; new understandings of the cosmos and the universe from space telescopes and missions; and discoveries in archaeology and geology—some made by Norman and friends—that increasingly validate the biblical account of the origin and history of life on Earth.
Today, Norman and Dorothy serve the Andrews community as members of the President’s Council, investing in and stewarding the future of the University. Together, they share a strong belief in God’s plan, affirming, “The clearer perspective of who our Creator is and the wonders of His handiwork make even more certain the promise of His return and a perfect eternity with Him in which the search for beauty will have no end.”